P R A D E S H
Sunday, December 27, 1998
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H I M A C H A L P R A D E S H |
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Sunday, December 27, 1998 |
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spotlight today's calendar |
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Officials trying to save
skin: Minister |
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BJP govt maligning ex-CM:
Cong UT-Barotiwala
road held up BJP
workers resent being ignored Resentment
against parking fee Changes
in school syllabi likely YC
chief flays BJP govt Award
for HRTC Relief
sought for Principal's kin |
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Officials trying to save skin:
Minister KANGRA, Dec 26 — The State Public Works Minister, Mr Mohinder Singh, a close associate of the HVC President, Mr Sukh Ram, hinted at the involvement of some government officers in the alleged scandals during Mr Virbhadra Singh's rule, for which the CBI was collecting evidence. Mr Mohinder Singh told mediapersons last evening that some officers whose names were linked with these cases were trying to "hinder" the investigations to save themselves. When asked whether the transfer of the Chief Secretary, Mr O.P. Yadav, was part of the government's action vis-a-vis these scandals, the Minister said that Mr Yadav had been transferred on account of his failure to take the required action in the khair and katha scandal which came to light when Mr Yadav was Secretary, Forests. In reply to another query regarding the decision of the CBI to take action on only 11 out of the 40 allegations levelled against Mr Virbhadra Singh by the HVC, Mr Mohinder Singh said, even if only one case was registered and proved it would be an achievement for the HVC. He assured full cooperation to the CBI in collecting the evidence. The Minister also said the State Government would spend Rs 372 crore, including Rs 57 crore from the Nabard, on the construction of roads and national highway in the state by the end of the current financial year. He said patchwork on 5500 km of the total 8500 km roads in the state had been completed during the last eight months. He said the government also planned to set up a divisional office for the maintenance of the Pathankot-Mandi highway. Work on the Jalandhar-Mandi via Hamirpur, Ambala-Paonta Sahib and Surghat-Pinjore highways would start by the beginning of the next financial year, added the Minister. He said flying squads had been pressed into service to check the trend of tax evasion by bus operators and one-time tax would be imposed on the operators.
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Seminar on tackling pollution HAMIRPUR, Dec 26 — Mr Khushi Ram Balnahtta, the Vice-Chairman of the HP Road Transport Corporation stressed the need for a pollution-free environment. He said that due to 'unscrupulous' exploitation of nature, there was great threat to mankind from pollution. He was addressing a seminar on Pollution Prevention and Control, organised by the Regional Engineering College, Hamirpur here yesterday. He said that the major source of the pollution was industrial waste and the toxic gases emitted from vehicles daily. In Delhi there were thirty lakh vehicles and three lakh were being added every year. Mining, deforestation and pollution explosion were other major sources of pollution, he added. Mr Balnahtta said automobile pollution was the most serious cause of urban pollution. In Himachal Pradesh too the problem of pollution due to vehicles was becoming alarming. To create a pollution free environment he suggested use of unleaded petrol removal of obsolete vehicles, enacting laws and their strict implementation etc. He said the use of coal angithis and bukharis had been banned in offices in Shimla, along with cutting of green trees. Mr Vinod Thakur, Vice-Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Regional Engineering College stressed the need for proper sanitation, preserving water resources and avoiding use of plastic carry bags. Earlier, the conference was inaugurated by Dr K.C. Malhotra, Chairman of the HP Subordinate Selection Board and former Vice-Chancellor of HP University, Shimla.
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UT-Barotiwala road held up The Barotiwala-Chandigarh road project may take more time for its completion as its execution has been held up again for want of clearance from the Union Ministry of Environment. Earlier, it was held up for want of clearance from the Forests Ministry for the forest area falling in the territory of Haryana, and now it is because of the forest area coming in its way in the Punjab territory where a new road alignment had to be proposed. The long wait for the road by the people of industrial satellite towns of Baddi and Barotiwala, who have been having high expectations from the Punjab and Haryana governments for the fulfilment of their demand for the construction of a road linking the Baddi area with Chandigarh still continues, in spite of the Himachal Pradesh Government having deposited its share of the commitment to meet 75 per cent of the construction cost of the road and a bridge to the Haryana Government long back. A meeting between the Punjab PWD Minister and the Himachal Pradesh Town and Country Planning Minister recently seems to have been of not much consequence, as further action on the completion of the road rests with the Union Ministry of Environment. The problem in the Punjab part of the project has been created by the submergence of the existing road with the construction of a dam across the Siswan khad. A new alignment in the Punjab area has to be consequently made, which may increase the length of the proposed short route by 2 km. The area for the proposed new alignment in Punjab is a forest area, and the Punjab Government is reported to have approved the project, and referred it to the Union Ministry of Environment for final clearance. A team of the Environment Ministry from the Centre visited the area in Punjab, and its report is awaited. The demand for the road has been long pending, and it was raised a number of times at the zonal meetings of state governments. The proposed short route-the latest realignment — is about 7 km less than the present route via Pinjore. The length of various portions of the proposed road falling in different states is 6 km in Chandigarh, 18.76 km in Punjab (including the 2 km increase due to the new realignment), 8.50 km in Haryana and 1.35 km in Himachal Pradesh, making a total length of 34.6 km the present route is about 41 km. The 1.35 km length reported to be falling in Himachal Pradesh, in fact falls in Haryana, and there has been a dual control of the portion for a number of years, according to H.P. Government sources. The road is complete including metalling and tarring in the portion falling in the union territory. In the area falling in Punjab, the road is complete except for half a kilometre short of the dam across the Siswan khad. The construction of the dam has submerged about 2 km of the existing road. The road is now proposed to be realigned along the left hand side on the reservoir, which may increase the length of the re-alignment by 2 km. The portion of the road in Haryana beyond the boundaries of Punjab is kutchha single lane up to Naya-Nangal village beyond which the road is tarred for 4.87 km up to the Himachal Pradesh border at Barotiwala. Haryana, it appears, has been waiting for Punjab to construct the new alignment so that the former can take up the construction of the alignment in its area. The fate of the new alignment depends upon the clearance from the Environment Ministry. The sharing pattern of expenditure, agreed upon between Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, was that Himachal Pradesh would meet 75 per cent of the cost of the road construction in Haryana, including a bridge. Of the estimated cost of Rs 262 lakh, the Himachal Pradesh Government is reported to have fully paid its share to Haryana during the period 1992-93 to 1996-97. The keenness of the Himachal Pradesh Government for early construction of the road is evident from the fact that at one time it offered to do compensatory plantation in its own areas for the loss of forests in Haryana, in case the road link fell in Haryana territory. The construction of the project was started before the World Bank aided Siswan Dam project was taken up for execution. The construction of the dam has now created the problem of constructing the road through the forest area in Punjab. The construction of the nearly six kms length of road in the forest area of Punjab may involve a small expenditure of about Rs three crores, but the Punjab government is afraid that the aid may not be available from the World Bank now as the project has been completed.
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BJP govt maligning ex-CM: Cong SHIMLA, Dec 26 — A senior Congress leader and MLA Mr J.B.L. Khachi has accused the BJP government of Mr P.K. Dhumal of misusing official machinery to wreck personal vendetta against Mr Virbhadra Singh former Chief Minister, by seeking a CBI probe against him. In a statement here today, Mr Khachi said that the BJP-HVC combine has launched a propaganda blitz regarding the proposed enquiry by the C.B.I. into so-called allegations levelled by certain HVC-men against Mr Virbhadra Singh. They had levelled about 42 allegations of which the C.B.I. has reportedly indicated to hold a preliminary enquiry in about eleven cases. The purpose of a preliminary enquiry is to ascertain whether any prima facie case is made out. The communication from the C.B.I. to the Himachal Pradesh Government though confidential was deliberately leaked to the media to malign Mr Virbhadra Singh and mislead the public by giving an impression that the C.B.I. has already registered cases, which is far from correct. He said that all 'allegations' levelled against Mr Virbhadra Singh were "false, frivolous, malicious and politically motivated and most had already been adjudicated upon by the Lok Ayukta and the courts right up to the supreme court. Some are still pending in courts.
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BJP workers resent being
ignored KANGRA, Dec 26 — Workers of the BJP today protested against the indifferent attitude of the Ministers and MLAs' towards them. A district-level meeting of the BJP workers was held at Dharamsala where the workers aired their grievances. The meeting was chaired by a former Minister, Mr Harbans Singh Rana. Workers of the BJP said the present government had a more favourable attitude towards the Congress workers. The meeting was also attended by Mr Shanta Kumar, former Chief Minster. He asked the party workers to work for strengthening the party and assured them that their grievances would be sorted out. Mr Kumar, later, addressed a press conference and said the BJP Government would last for the full term of five years and that the Congress had turned down the proposal of the Samajwadi Party to overthrow the BJP-led government in the Centre. He said the Centre had taken an appreciable step to generate 40 per cent power by hydel projects and 60 per cent by thermal projects in the state. He blamed the Congress for price rise in the state and said the BJP Government had successfully controlled the rising prices.
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Resentment against parking fee JWALAMUKHI, Dec 26 — Residents and tourists, resent the levying of arbitrary parking fee by the authorities. The area around the bus stand has been earmarked for the parking of light vehicles. Previously a private contractor was given the contract of this parking-area. But now, the nagar panchayat is administering the parking lot. Inquiries reveal that a signboard indicating parking charges at the site was removed and receipt books altered. Thus instead of preprinted charges hand-written receipts are given, levying arbitrary rates of Rs 10, and Rs 15 and even Rs 40 instead of the Rs 3 to Rs 5 fee authorised as per a notification of the Deputy Commissioner. The Executive Officer of the nagar panchayat and SDM, Dehra Mr S.S. Chambyal, said some complaints were received by him recently and he will investigate the issue.
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Changes in school syllabi likely HAMIRPUR, Dec 26 — The HP Government is all set to menace end the of copying in the educational institutions of the state. The State Education Minister, Mr Ishwar Dass Dhiman, said here today that strict action would be taken against those who indulged in this malpractice. He said the culture of tuition was spoiling the careers of students. The government, he said, was preparing lists of teachers who promoted tuitions. He said the government would set up a committee to make changes in the syllabus upto 8th class.
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YC chief flays BJP govt JAWALAMUKHI, Dec 26 — Himachal Youth Congress chief Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu today said the BJP-led coalition government at the Centre had failed to deliver the goods. Talking to mediapersons at local rest house, Mr Sukhu said the BJP-led coalition government at the Centre and state had no moral authority to remain in power after the debacle in the recent polls in Delhi, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh and demanded fresh poll. He alleged that the collapse of law and order machinery, criminalisation of politics and surrender of the state's vital interests to the private sector was on the increase in Himachal Pradesh. He also alleged that those directly involved in crimes were not being arrested, while Youth Congress workers, who were raising their voice against the malfunctioning of the government had been booked in criminal cases.
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Award for HRTC NEW DELHI, Dec 26 — The Himachal Pradesh Road Transport Corporation has been awarded the first prize by the National Productivity Council for effective and efficient operational services in the state. The State Transport Minister, Mr Kishan Kapur, received the prize from the Union Industry Minister, Mr Sikandar Bakht, at a function here today. Mr Kapur said the State government had decided to provide appropriate basic amenities to passengers in Himachal Pradesh, an official press note said. Sixteen new bus stands
would be constructed in the state during the Ninth plan,
it added.
Relief sought for Principal's kin HAMIRPUR, Dec 26 — The district unit of the HP Government teachers Union has expressed its grief over the murder of N.K Sharma, Principal of a school in Kulu district, while performing examination duties. Mr K.C. Dhatwalia, General Secretary of the union, has demanded a compensation for his family. He demanded insurance cover to the tune of Rs 5 lakh and necessary amendments to this effect in the board byelaws. He warned the boycott of school board examinations if no action was taken in this respect.
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